Method of making a battery having a folded architecture

Abstract

This disclosure is directed to a method of making a battery having a folded architecture that has one or more blocks of cells folded onto one another.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A method of making a folding battery, comprising:
 assembling a first, second, third, and fourth block of cells, wherein each cell of said first, second, third, and fourth block of cells has an anode end and a cathode end opposite said anode end; 
 attaching a first section of a first single layer folded conductive plate to each anode end of each cell of said first block of cells; 
 attaching a second section of said first single layer folded conductive plate to each cathode end of each cell of said second block of cells; 
 attaching a first section of a second single layer folded conductive plate to each anode end of each cell in said second block of cells; 
 attaching a second section of said second single layer folded conductive plate to each cathode end of each cell in said third block of cells; 
 attaching a first section of a third single layer folded conductive plate to each anode end of each cell in said third block of cells; 
 attaching a second section of said third single layer folded conductive plate to each cathode end of each cell in said fourth block of cells; 
 folding said first section of said first single layer folded conductive plate and its attached first block of cells onto and in contact with said second section of said first single layer folded conductive plate along a first plane providing a conductive path between each anode end of each cell of said first block of cells and each cathode end of each cell of said second block of cells; 
 folding said second section of said third single layer folded conductive plate and its attached fourth block of cells onto and in contact with said first section of said third single layer folded conductive plate along a third plane substantially parallel to said first plane providing a conductive path between each cathode end of each cell in said fourth block of cells and each anode end of each cell in said third block of cells; and 
 folding said second section of said second single layer folded conductive plate and its attached third and fourth blocks of cells onto in contact with said first section of said second single layer folded conductive plate along a second plane substantially parallel to said first plane and said third plane providing a conductive path between each cathode end of each cell in said third block of cells with each anode end of each cell in said second block of cells. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first, second, and third single layer conductive plates comprise at least 95% nickel. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first, second, third, and fourth block of cells are comprised of lithium ferrophosphate. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of said cells of said first, second, third, and fourth block of cells are cylindrical in shape. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of said cells in said first block are bound together. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of said cells in said second block are bound together. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of said cells in said third block are bound together. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of said cells in said fourth block are bound together. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said folded battery is a size representative of a size of each of said first, second, third, and fourth block of said cells. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising coupling a battery management system (BMS) to said folded battery. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein said BMS is in contact with each anode end of each cell of said fourth block of cells. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising inserting said folded battery in a battery case. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising assembling an additional even number of blocks of cells, attaching said additional even number of blocks of cells to first and second sections of and additional corresponding odd number of single layer folded conductive plates, and folding said additional corresponding odd number of single layer folded conductive plates in a same manner.